Jun 29, 2008

I love the "Z". Is one of my favorites letters and I can give one thousand 'intellectual' explanations of why I like it: because it means "the end" at least in the alphabet; because it represents sleeping soundly when repeated; or because of it's perfect symmetry and shape.

But who I am kidding? Truth is, I am pretty sure that the REAL reason I love that specific letter is because in my childhood I was completely infatuated with "El Zorro" (that original one, you know, Walt Disney, Guy Williams, El Zorro). Even today, if I catch the series on TV, I will stop right there and watch it with a smile in my face.

Anyway... this introduction is to present someone else, someone that has a bigger relationship with the "Z" than I have, to the point that her website is called "I am Z". She contacted me because of my previous postings about business cards, as her site has also an interesting project with her own business cards, cards that by mistake were printed without any title. So she was able to get multiple personalities, and she has now an online collection of some (im)possible titles, as the one you can see below:

I was intrigued by the fact that even her emails were signed "Z" when her name has no z on it. At the time, the business card project wasn't so clear so I sent her some questions, and here is the very short interview:

Why Z?- Z is my nickname, I am a twin and when we were babies, my sister couldn’t say “lindsey (and hearing lin-z)” she called me “zz” which became “z”

Was your website conceived with so many sections or it grew to what is now, and if that is the case, how it started?

- The website was conceived with many of the sections, z was a way to incorporate anything I was working on in the past, working on currently and can add to in the future when needed and relate to me.

Your business card sections says one thing (that is a project of "cards with typos") but inside there is another thing, your cards with slogans and drawings showing "different personalities". So, what about the original project, is it still the idea? And how come you ended up with your own cards?

- Sorry there is a confusion about what the cards project is, started with and became. Let me see if this makes sense: my first set of business cards came in blank, titleless (this is the “typo”) under my name “lindsey d. sherline” should have been “art director” like most business cards. Well, instead of throwing them away I took it as a creative sign, titles are limited and I am much more than an art director, everyone is much more than their “title” so thought it was an opportunity to connect with people creatively I was working with, give them a blank card to give me a title in their own creative way and also break down any creative barriers that so often block working relationships from the start in the business, that I make fun of myself...does this make sense?

I haven't been in contact with her for a while now, all I know is that she was setting up her own company (that includes a z, of course).

But if you want to see how many titles someone can have, or better said, in how many different ways someone can be perceived, you can visit her business 'cardz' section at her personal site. By clicking on the z's at the bottom, you can see her actual collection and -if you want- you can send her other alternative titles. Here some other examples of what you can find there, but there is much more to see!